KATHMANDU: At least 14 people were killed whereas disaster teams were searching for nine missing persons as torrential rains triggered flash floods and landslides in Nepal, police said on Sunday.
Devastating monsoon rains have unleashed havoc across Nepal, India, and Bangladesh, causing widespread damage due to flash floods and landslides.
In Nepal, the relentless rains have resulted in the deaths of at least 14 people. Rescue teams are actively searching for missing persons in various affected regions, as confirmed by Nepalese police spokesman Dan Bahadur Karki. The affected areas span multiple districts, particularly in lowland regions adjacent to India.
The situation in India’s northeastern state of Assam is equally dire, where six fatalities were reported in the past 24 hours alone, according to the state’s Disaster Management Authority. Since mid-May, the death toll in Assam has climbed to 58 due to ongoing flooding exacerbated by incessant rains.
Downstream in Bangladesh, over two million people have been affected by the floods, which have submerged vast tracts of low-lying areas. The country is particularly vulnerable to flooding from the Brahmaputra and Ganges rivers, which flow from the Himalayas through India and into Bangladesh.
The intensification of these annual monsoon-driven calamities has been attributed to climate change and extensive road construction, which disrupt natural drainage systems and exacerbate the impacts of heavy rainfall. Experts warn that such events are likely to become more frequent and severe as global warming continues to alter weather patterns across South Asia.
In Nepal, where heavy rainfall has persisted since Thursday, disaster management authorities issued warnings about potential flash floods in multiple rivers. The monsoon season, which spans from June to September, typically brings a significant portion of the region’s annual rainfall, sustaining agriculture but also causing widespread destruction.
Last month, Nepal experienced a similar onslaught of storms that resulted in 14 fatalities from landslides, lightning strikes, and flooding.
The summer monsoon brings South Asia 70-80 percent of its annual rainfall.
